Florida’s Gov. Rick Scott has taken matters into his hands with regards to climate change and global warming. That’s not to say that he has launched any climate change legislation that might actually help reverse the obvious impact that humans have had on the atmosphere – but rather that he has banned the words “climate change,” and “global warming” from entering any official capacity within the state. Ironically enough, such a policy isn’t even something that strengthens a politician’s stance on the matter – but just shreds it when obvious criticism will be launched at it.

The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting originally reported on the story, citing that they had found evidence that such a rule was in place dating all the way back to 2011. Interestingly, Florida is one of the most-profoundly impacted states in the entire continental United States, when it comes to climate change – making the move one that seems more puzzling than it does anything else.

Science hasn’t just pointed out that the entire globe is susceptible to the damage that climate change will undoubtedly cause, but also pointed out that there are roughly 300,000 homes that are valued at as much as $145 billion collectively, that would be impacted by continued change in the climate. This is something that isn’t just political but would have severe economic impacts on the state as well.

While the impacts that Florida could feel from climate change might seem obvious, it’s the policy itself that is getting the most attention. It’s well-understood that a policy like this doesn’t actually make climate change itself disappear – and to say that climate change isn’t a factor – or that humans have had no impact on climate change would be an incredible disservice to the entire United States, and the rest of the world for that matter.

Many national news outlets have picked up on this particular story, and it is likely going to carry itself, and actually become a bigger issue than climate change would have been itself – had Scott simply never instituted such a policy to begin with. While Florida is one of the most-severely impacted states in the country when it comes to climate change – given its low elevation, and sea level rise – the state itself has never been a major opponent politically or from an activists standpoint in combating climate change. That though might all change now.